Some Steelers news today regarding their QB position, five-year veteran Mason Rudolph is expected to re-sign with the Steelers and remain the #3 QB on their depth chart, behind Kenny Pickett and Mitchell Trubisky.
This is confirmed by a few reliable sources:
Source: Mason Rudolph re-signing with the Steelers.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) May 15, 2023
The Steelers are planning to re-sign quarterback Mason Rudolph, per league source.
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) May 15, 2023
Mason Rudolph is not very liked by a lot of people in the Steelers fandom, but like him or not, this is a good move for the Steelers and for Mason Rudolph.
It wasn’t expected that Mason Rudolph would be returning to the black and gold as there seemed to be tension over Rudolph’s drop in the depth chart and playing time.
It appears Mason Rudolph had little to no market in free agency. He deserves to be a second string and primary backup QB in the NFL with a chance to see starting time elsewhere.
Ultimately, he and the Steelers have agreed to bring him back and the QB room will be the exact same as it was last year, which is a good thing. Having a QB room with lots of leadership and dependable depth is rare and for the Steelers, it’s needed as we move forward with life after Ben Roethlisberger.
Everyone knows Mason’s hectic journey as a Steelers since the team traded up in the 3rd round of the 2018 NFL Draft to draft him.
He saw his first bit of action after Ben Roethlisberger injured his elbow early into the 2019 season and Mason was thrown into a tough situation.
Suffering a concussion due to a hit from Earl Thomas in week 5 vs the Ravens, being hit in the head with his own helmet by Myles Garrett vs the Browns on TNF in week 11, and being benched and splitting starts with Devlin “Duck” Hodges is a wild first year for Mason Rudolph.
Coming in from time-to-time, he’s shown he can be a dependable backup and that’s all he’s going to be moving forward. To have a (third string) backup QB with years of experience in the system and chemistry with the offensive weapons gives this re-signing nothing to be upset about. There’s zero downside.
Mason Rudolph will most likely be an every game inactive all year, barring any injuries. If his name is called, the Steelers view him as someone to lean on in case of anything.
This also could open the door for Mason to remain with the team for future years and possibly be the primary backup QB to Kenny Pickett in 2024, as Mitch Trubisky is coming into a contract year.
No news on the exact details of his new contract, but this is all just a depth signing and a very good insurance policy.
Personally, I’m glad Mason Rudolph is back and hope he sticks around. What are your thoughts on Mason Rudolph re-signing with the Steelers?